Starter



A. ZISKA, JR

March 18, 1924.

STARTER Filed Sept. 20 1919 2. Sheets-Sheet 1 1726/3257 @770 am WM/Y- Patented Mar. 1%, 12.24..

SiTitTES ADAM ZISKA, JR, OF lviILVH-r KER, Y-VISCGNSIN, ASSIGNQR 1'0 HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR (10., O1" MILVJAUKEE, 'W1GONSIN, A CORPORATION 01 "WISCONSIN.

STARTER.

Application filed September 20, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, ADAM Zrsnn, J12, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of il isconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Starters, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates to starters for internal combustion engines.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a starter for an internal combustion engine which is readily accessible.

A further object is to provide a starter which may be easily assembled and manufactured.

A further object is to provide a starter in which the starter is built into the casing of the engine so that the engine and starter together form a unitary mechanism.

A further object is to provide a starter which utilizes parts of he mechanism of the engine and thereby eliminates additional parts.

A further object is to provide a starter of a minimum number of parts.

A. further object is to provide a starter which normally stands in a position to be operated without any preliminary operation.

A further object is to provide a foot operated, push. starter in which the foot operated member is free from connection with the engine at the upper and lower portion of its stroke.

A. further object is to provide a starter in which provision is made for the over-running of the engine while the starter is op-- eratively connected with the engine.

A further object is to provide a push starter for the motor of a motorcycle, so arranged that it is readily operated by the foot of the rider.

A further object is to provide a starter in which the operating projecting portion completely closes the opening connected with the interior of the mechanism.

Other objects will appear.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of an internal combustion engine for a motor-cycle equipped with a push starter.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the mechanism of this push starter with the casing omitted for clearness.

Serial No. 325,214.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the over-running clutch.

1, showing an end elevation of an internal combustion engine with parts broken away to show the starter mecl1anism,will first be described. The crank shaft 1 is geared to the cam shaft 2 by means of a reduction gearing comprising a pinion 3, on the crank shaft 1, and a larger gear 4t on the cam shaft, which, in the illustration shown, bear a ratio of 2 to 1. Mounted upon the cam shaft 2 is a third gear 5 which is relatively small. This gear 5 is normally out of engagement with a rack 6, carried by a tubular plunger 7. The tubular plunger 7 is normally projected outwardly from the casing 8 of the engine by means of a spring 9, mounted within the tubular plunger 7, hearing at its upper end againstthe upper por tion of the plunger, and at its lower end against a plug 10 which is threaded into the bottom portion of the casing 8 to close the lower end of the opening in which the plunger 7 reciprocates. The upper portion of the plunger 7 is equipped with a foot plate 11, and is in such position that it may be operated by the foot of the operator. The plunger is prevented from passing out of casing 8 by means of a screw 12 which works within slot 13 in the plunger 7, and serves to limit its outward motion.

Fig. 3 shows a section of the tubular plunger 7, the slot 13 formed therein, and the position of the spring 9 within the tubular plunger.

Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically the arrangement of the operating mechanism of the starter. Upon the cam shaft 2 the gear 5 is loosely mounted and is normally conpied to the gear 1 by means of an over-running clutch 14:. A spring 15 forces the gear 5 towards the gear 1 and causes the teeth of the over-running clutch 1d which are formed respectively upon these two gearsto mesh and thereby operatively connect such gears.

Fig. 1 shows in detail the construction of the over-running clutch and the mounting of the gears d and 5 upon the cam shaft 2. The gear 4, which is one of the two gears connecting the engine shaft and cam shaft, is mounted upon a cone portion 16 of the cam shaft 2, and is clamped thereon by means of a nut 17 which is threaded upon a reduced portion 18 of the cam shaft 2. Upon a reduced portion 19, of still smaller diameter, is loosely mounted the gear 5 which is spring pressed towards the gear 4:, the outer end of such spring bearing against a cap 20 which is held on the outer end of the cam shaft 2 by means of a nut 21 threaded upon such'cam shaft.

The operation of the starter is as follows:

When the plunger 7 is depressed the rack 6 and gear 5, which are normally out of engagement, are caused to engage, and the cam shaft 2 is given rotary motion. This rotary motion is imparted to the engine shaft 1 by means of the cooperating gears 4C and 3 and the engine shaft 1 is given a rapid rotary motion due to the ratio of these gears. At the lowest portion of the stroke of the rack 6 such rack passes out of engagement with the gear 5. This allows the free spinning of the shafts l and 2 and does not serve to use up any of the energy stored in the spinning fly wheel 22 by the drag of the over-running clutch, as would be the case if the rack 6 were still in cooperative engagement with the gear 5. The effect of this is to give the engine shaft a rapid rotary motion and to thereafter release such engine from the starting means and allow the same tofreely spin by its own momen tum. If the engine should pick up on this initial spinning it will continue to rotate the cam shaft in a clock-wise direction, and as the rack 6 and the gear 5 come into engagement, upon the upward stroke of the rack, the over-running clutch 14 allows gears 4L and 5 to disconnect. vVhen the plunger 7 reaches the utmost limit of its stroke the rack 6 is out of engagement with the gear 5 and the gear 5 thereafter freely rotates with the gear f and the shaft 2, thereby relieving the mechanism of needless friction by completely disengaging the starter rack from its co-operating pinion.

By utilizing the cam shaft-and cam shaft gear train, the necessity for an. auxiliary multiplying gear train is avoided. An ad ditional casing is rendered unnecessary, as the casing for the crank case of the engine i used to provide a guide-way for the reciprocating plunger of the starter.

Obviously, other structures may be devised which will embody the invent-ion herein set forth.

I claim:

1. An engine starter comprising a gear, means for operatively connecting said gear and the engine shaft during starting, and a rack attached to a reciprocatory plunger for rotating said gear, said rack being free of connection with said gear at the upper and lower portion of its troke.

2. A starter for internal combustion engines comprising a rack, a gear normally disengaged from said rack, and means for connecting said gear and engine shaft and for allowing said engine shaft to overrun said gear under certain conditions, said rack being free from engagement with said gear at the lower portion of its stroke.

3. A starter for internal combustion engines having a cam shaft gear operatively connected with the engine shaft, a cam shaft, a gear mounted upon said cam shaft, a ratchet clutch for operatively connecting said gear and shaft, and a rack for engaging" said gear whereby motion of the rack will impart rotary motion to the engine shaft.

4. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a casing, a push starter comprising a reciprocatory plunger projecting upwardly from said casing and adapted to be operatively connected with the engine shaft during starting, said plunger being disconnected from the engine at the upper nd lower portion of its stroke.

5. A starter for internal combustion engines comprising a gear, an overrunning clutch for operatively connecting said gear and engine, a foot operated upwardly projecting pin, and a rack carried by said pin for operating said gear, said rack being free from engagement with said gear at the upper and lower portions of its stroke.

6. A starter for internal combustion engines comprising a gear, means for opera tively connecting said gear and engine under certain conditions, a spring pressed upward- 1y extending foot operated pin, and a rack carried by said pin and arranged to engage said gear during a portion of its stroke and to be free therefrom during the upper and lower portions of its stroke.

7. In combination with an engine having a casing, a push starter comprising a tubular member mounted in an opening in said casing, a spring mounted within said tubular member to cause said tubular member to normally project upwardly from said casing, a rack mounted upon said tubular member, a multiplying gear train connecting said rack and engine shaft during a portion of the stroke of said rack, and an overruning clutch operatively arranged between said rack and engine shaft.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ADAM ZISKA, JR. 

